THE doors of a town centre pub remained closed this week after police shut it down for alleged licence breaches.

Police say the licensee of the Freemasons in Market Place has failed to abide by conditions which were imposed when his licence was granted by magistrates in 2005.

They included the installation of an approved type of CCTV security system covering the outside front and rear of the premises.

But licensee Denis Wright, who runs the pub with his wife Paula, claims he is being "victimised" by the police and has accused them of trying to force him into bankruptcy.

The town's police chief, Inspector Darrell Butterworth, confirmed that Mr Wright had been ordered to close his business on Friday June 15.

He said: "The licensee agreed to the conditions when his licence was granted. He agreed to fit approved CCTV security cameras at the front and rear but has not done that.

"He has ignored two official warnings, so we have told him he will not be able to open again until the cameras which he agreed to are fitted."

Mr Wright is so angry he has displayed a chalk board outside his pub, announcing that he has been closed because of "victimisation".

He said: "I'm not into drugs and I'm not into crime, but the police keep targeting my pub for no reason.

"It's not five minutes since they did a drugs raid, which was reported in the Advertiser. But they found nothing and nobody was charged with anything."

He added: "I actually have a CCTV system at the pub but it seems it is not the type the police want me to have. I think the police are abusing their powers.

"They are just victimising me. I have £2,000 worth of beer in my cellar and if the police don't allow me to open soon, they will force me into bankruptcy."

Louise Bailey, licensee of the Foobar nightspot in Market Street and one of the people who helped to set up the town's Pubwatch scheme alongside the police four years ago, said: "You cannot argue with what the police are trying to achieve. I think that every pub and club should have a CCTV system for the safety of customers as much as the security of the pub."